AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How do the two of you know one another?” she asked, arching a brow at Daniel, like he should have already mentioned that.
“We met at the fundraiser I went to a few weeks ago for Paths of Purpose,” he supplied, and I perked up. Daniel answered to this woman, yet I didn’t get a romantic vibe at all. More familial. And I wasn’t jealous. That had to be some kind of sign, right?
“Is he typically a stalker? Is that how y’all met? Because I can’t get rid of him,” I mock huffed, shoving playfully at his arm. He scowled, and Muriella grinned.
“I haven’t known him to be like that,” she said. “But maybe he’s never found anyone who truly interested him.”
“I’m standing right here,” he interjected, shoving his hands in the pockets of his slacks.
I glanced at him as if startled. “I forgot.” His eyes narrowed, his lips creasing into a pout, and I grinned, throwing a wink at Muriella. I pinched his cheek. “Oh, Princess. You’re impossible to ignore,” I conceded. Though I’d said it sarcastically, they were maybe the most true words I’d ever spoken.
“Seems that’s true of you, as well,” he muttered. “I’m going to see if I can be of some help somewhere. You two remember why you’re here…and it’s not to gossip about me.”
“We’ll try to keep that in mind,” I tossed at his back as he sauntered away. My face hurt from smiling so hard. “Want to come with me to the kitchen?”
“Of course,” she said with conviction, and off we went.
Once there, we got to work unwrapping things. We were doing this family style instead of buffet, which I thought added an intimate flair to the event. This food wasn’t slop dumped out of a can and served in foil pans. The green beans were fresh, the assortment of breads homemade, the sweet potatoes fluffy—all presented in elegant, white porcelain serveware. Very nice, but probably not within Paths of Purpose’s budget.
“Did Daniel have anything to do with this?” I asked Muriella as I carried a bowl of mashed potatoes to a table.
She shrugged nonchalantly. “I can’t keep track of everything he does.” Her non-answer was a confirmation that he had arranged all of this. I liked that he didn’t want a bit of credit for it.
The large room filled up quickly, with so many it soon became standing room only. Of course, the kids didn’t keep their seats long after they discovered that new toys and games and books had miraculously appeared in the small game room. There was a mountain of things for the children, and there was no doubt in my mind who they could thank for it all.
Muriella and I bounced from playing with the children to chatting with the ladies as they ate, getting to know one another in the meantime. She was vetting me, but I didn’t mind her protectiveness of Daniel. She had to make sure I was good enough for him. Just like a sister would do.
The crowd dispersed after the meal, and I wandered toward Daniel as he gravitated toward me.
“Thank you,” I said, bumping him with my shoulder as we both watched Muriella color a picture with a quiet little girl.
“For what?” His gaze sent off a ripple of tingles through me. I felt it before I met his eyes.
“You did all this.” I gestured around the room, taking in the smiles and full bellies.
“I’m just here.” He brushed it off as if he weren’t responsible for any of this joy.
We remained silent for a moment, soaking in the scene before us. Muriella held up the coloring book the girl had been working in, showing us a strawberry picture shaded a bright red. I gave two thumbs up and smiled, the sweet child’s eyes brightening from that simple praise.
“She means a lot to you.” I pointed my chin at Muriella.
“That she does.”
“You should tell her sometime. She already knows, but it’s nice to hear when someone cares.” Daniel grunted a response, which was more than I’d expected. He was a locked vault when it came to sharing his feelings. “I’m going to help clean up.”
He followed me, holding a black garbage bag while I disposed of empty paper plates and cups. We worked in silence, his focus often on Muriella, as if he were uncomfortable if she got out of his sight. Daniel was protective of her, overly so, despite the absence of any threat. It seemed a bit stifling, and though I didn’t know him well, I suspected he wouldn’t behave that way without reason. If it bothered Muriella, she didn’t show it.
Muriella had a Cheshire cat smile when she joined us to clear the tables. “Vivian, why don’t you come over for dinner after this?”
“Oh, I’d love to, but I’m stuffed.” I patted my stomach, which was filled with the best meal I’d had in weeks. Just thinking about more food made me want to pass out.
“You’re already tired of Daniel, aren’t you?” She bit her lip to keep from grinning, and I discreetly held out my hand for a low five. When she slapped it, I felt like I had maybe passed the tests she’d put me through. If this kept up, Muriella and I were going to get along famously. Daniel scowled at me and my potential new partner in crime.
“Let’s put it this way. If I joined you for supper, it wouldn’t be because of him.” His lips thinned, and he shot me a look of caution, which I promptly ignored. “Did he put you up to asking me out?”
“I did not,” he said, not bothering to hide his irritation.
Muriella snickered. “No. It was all me. Since you won’t do dinner, we’ll have lunch tomorrow.” This wasn’t a request. The tiny thing was bossing me around. I didn’t mind in the least. It was a chance to do some digging and perhaps make a new friend in the process.
